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No beekeeping experience want to try and do a trap out in Texas

Two days ago I noticed a swarm crawling in to a hole in my house. Listening very carefully, I think I have found the bees under the floor in my daughters room. (I can actually hear them walking around). After talking to various people who said they couldn't help and that the easiest solution would be to exterminate them... I found one that suggested a trap out. I think I can do it. I have always liked the idea of keeping bees and this seems like an excellent start to the hobby... however, I have zero knowledge past what I have been googling over the past 24 hours. My question is what supplies will I absolutely need? I have read that I must have a eggs and a queen but I don't know where I can obtain those. Buying a box is easy enough, setting up the tunnel screen is a breeze... but after that I am lost. I just need suggestions and direction... I live in Bonham, Texas (Fannin County). I do not know any beekeepers in my remote area.

Thanks tons for any help you can give... I can't have the bees living in my home but I absolutely don't want them killed either.

Re: No beekeeping experience want to try and do a trap out in Texas

> If only I can get my hands on brood... that would be key, right?

One [longer term] possibility is to purchase just a queen once your trap has accumulated some bees. Take those bees and your purchased queen to a separate hive. Once they are established, now you have a source of brood to complete the trapout from your house.

You can also set up swarm traps in the hope that swarms may move in. If they do, again a source of brood.

Re: No beekeeping experience want to try and do a trap out in Texas

As someone told me when I got started: Read, read, read. There is enough info out there for you to become a beekeeper. I would recommend top-bar beekeeping because I know what is like to try and help the bees, become a beekeeper and BUY all the equipment. My first hive cost me about $50 to build from NEW wood. I spent too much time and money. The second hive I built using salvaged wood from a demolished house. It is 30 bar (40+") long, built in two days and cost $10. I got my brother to buy my suit for $40 and my sister bought me a smoker for $40. I owe them two jars of honey when I start to harvest.

Re: No beekeeping experience want to try and do a trap out in Texas

You can also set up swarm traps in the hope that swarms may move in. If they do, again a source of brood.

One thing at a time. Beekeeping jargon is a foreign language at this point.... I want to at least be able to read one full paragraph on any page or forum and actually understand what it is saying.

Buy a queen? From what I am reading... if I were to do the Cleo Hogan method, with a tube joining the bee hole to the new box... there is a chance I could convince the queen out of this hive with a brood in the new hive. Ideally, it would be best to keep this queen, wouldn't it? She is a feral, strong queen and would produce strong bees... but again, I have only just started reading up on beekeeping and I am feeling overwhelmed with it all.

Thanks a ton for the suggestion though and it may come down to that if I can't figure out a person (semi) locally who would share their brood with me.

Re: No beekeeping experience want to try and do a trap out in Texas

> Buy a queen? From what I am reading...

Well, you asked about getting brood. My comment about buying a queen was with respect to AFTER you had trapped some worker bees, but not the queen, using the Hogan method. Take those bees from the trap, put them in a separate hive along with the purchased queen and let them raise brood. At that point, you have brood that you can put in the trap to entice the feral queen to come into the trap.

Of course, if you can find some brood locally, then you can shortcut my suggestion. Send the email to Cleo, then study the document and this will make more sense.

A swarm trap is a different concept. You essentially set up an attractive home for bees, and hope a swarm will accept your hospitality. That swarm might come from the colony in your house, or possibly from a nearby beekeeper's hives, or just from another feral colony. Or you might not get any. If they do move in, then you also eventually have free brood.

Re: No beekeeping experience want to try and do a trap out in Texas

I really appreciate the help!

1. I was outside when the hive swarmed. The air went brown with bees and they landed everywhere before going in to my house.

2. I wanted to hire someone to do a cutout but unfortunately I think they located an opening between the second floor and are actually under the floor of one of my children's rooms. (If you put your ear to the floor you can hear them walking around.

I have been looking up trapouts on youtube but will definitely check out jpthebeeman

I have been checking out the Bush site as well.

I got the Hogan method email last night and plan to try that as soon as I can find someone locally to sell me a queen. I do not know any bee people but hope that the hobby club out here will accommodate me. I just want a queen lined up before I construct the trap.

On a side note, I need to buy ALL of the equipment. Is there a site you can recommend? Again, I am clueless but am thinking I need 1 super with several frames (although Hogan suggests drawn comb- I am reading NOT to take other people's comb because of what it could have been exposed to) then I need a hood (at the least) smoker, and bee boxes (I am clueless as to what is best there too).

I hate this. After 48 hours of reading I think somethings are starting to click but I still feel completely ignorant to even the most basic aspects of keeping.... and I don't have the time I really want and need to become more super knowledgeable.

Re: No beekeeping experience want to try and do a trap out in Texas

Here I am again! I just posted a picture of the second hive I built - in one day - for $10. Get off the Langstrom route and go Top Bar before you get in debt for all the stuff. Buy a suit with gloves for $40. Buy a smoker for $30. There are about 3 hours of GOOD video on Youtube. Take an evening to watch and see how you can do this without lining someone's pocket. I think it's better for the bees anyway.

Re: No beekeeping experience want to try and do a trap out in Texas

DrDoorlock,

I looked at your pictures and really don't see why anyone would "buy" a TBH... however, since I am really concerned about ease and time involved I think Langstroth would be a better choice. Plus, as I understand it, a Langstroth would make it easier to remove the brood in order to later try and catch this queen. I agree with you about lining someone's pockets though and don't see why I can't try to do a TBH once I am more comfortable with beekeeping... and want to expand my hives. (That sounds so optimistic).

Re: No beekeeping experience want to try and do a trap out in Texas

Unless they are bothering something let Those bees be for a while. In the meantime get yourself some equipment - veil, gloves, smoker. And some kind of hive setup. Then get on a swarm collection list for your home town. Swarm time is now, and you are very likely to get a nice fat swarm that is 4 feet off the ground. In a couple of weeks you will have that brood you need.

Re: No beekeeping experience want to try and do a trap out in Texas

Re: No beekeeping experience want to try and do a trap out in Texas

Jamie, I am a new beekeeper so take this for what it is worth. I purchased a conplete hive from Rossman Apaires ( gabees.com) unassembled and used this for a pattern to make my hives, etc. from scrap lumber I had. This hive kit has deep brood box, medium super, inner cover, outer cover, queen excluder, frames and foundation. bought Smoker, hat and veil, and some other stuff from Amazon. you do not have to have everything to begin with but do need a hive body, frames and foundation if you use the langstrom hives which i like.
I also have built a trap out thanks to Cleo Hogan and his plans and am in process of enticing bees from live tree on my property.
one thing to consider is to try to get those bees out as soon as you can, before they build a lot of comb and honey in your home which you can not get with out possibly damaging your house.

Re: No beekeeping experience want to try and do a trap out in Texas

Actually Honeyman after a trap out progresses to a certain point - where no more bees are coming out for a few days - you remove the trap out cone and the bees will rob all of the honey out of the old hive. It leaves nothing in there except a little bit of wax.

Re: No beekeeping experience want to try and do a trap out in Texas

Originally Posted by David LaFerney

Unless they are bothering something let Those bees be for a while. In the meantime get yourself some equipment - veil, gloves, smoker. And some kind of hive setup. Then get on a swarm collection list for your home town. Swarm time is now, and you are very likely to get a nice fat swarm that is 4 feet off the ground. In a couple of weeks you will have that brood you need.

Thanks for the advice. I've done all these things and we are in an early swarm season. Two swarms got away because I couldn't get to the customer soon enough.